1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dispensing devices employed in bulk packages of substantially wet sheets, and to bulk packages including said dispensing devices. More particularly, this invention relates to dispensing devices which provide for the individual "pop-up" dispensing of successive sheets, and to bulk packages employing such dispensing devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Bulk packages which provide for the individual "pop-up" dispensing of successive wet sheets are known in the prior art. One such package is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,780,908, issued to Fitzpatrick et al on Dec. 25, 1973. The bulk package disclosed in that patent is presently being sold by International Playtex Company in the form of premoistened feminine towelettes. The dispensing device in the Fitzpatrick et al patent is in the form of a removable insert that includes a diamond-shaped dispensing opening having a fairly large area. This large area opening provides for easy access into the interior of the compartment in the event that a sheet to be dispensed from the compartment is not in its popped-up position. However, the moisturizing ingredients in the sheets can evaporate excessively when a large area dispensing opening is provided. Such excessive evaporation is most likely to occur if a closure of the package is inadvertently left in an opened condition, or is not properly closed to provide an effective moisture-impervious seal about the dispensing opening. If the sheets lose an excessive amount of their moisturizing ingredients they may become unsuitable for their intended function.
A second commercially available bulk package which provides for the pop-up dispensing of premoistened sheets is manufactured by Sterling Drug, Inc., and is sold under the name "Wet-Ones." This package includes a removable lid which closes an open end of a cylindrical container. The lid includes an X-shaped dispensing opening provided by crossing slits which divide the lid into flexible tabs having sharp corners and bends. The premoistened sheets are in the form of a core-less roll positioned in the cylindrical container. Lines of perforations divide the roll into individual sheets, and successive sheets separate from the roll at a line of perforations upon withdrawal of an immediately preceding sheet through the dispensing opening. This separation is intended to take place after the line of perforations has cleared the dispensing opening so that each successive sheet extends partially through the opening for easy dispensing.
A cross-slit arrangement providing the dispensing opening overcomes the problem of excessive moisture evaporation from the contents in the package. However, in the event that a sheet fails to pop up a user cannot easily insert his fingers through the opening to grasp the uppermost sheet and pull it through the opening. In fact, a user can easily cut, or otherwise injure his finger if he attempts to force it past the surfaces of the tabs defining the X-shaped dispensing opening. Accordingly, if a sheet fails to pop-up a user of the package must remove the lid and insert the leading edge of the sheet through the slits from the underside of said lid. In performing this operation the user should take care not to force his fingers through the slits for the reason indicated above. This same insertion operation is required to initially place the packaging system in operation after it has been purchased. This type of an insertion operation is cumbersome, and somewhat difficult.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,640,587, issued to Smith, discloses a dry tissue dispenser which includes a generally hour-glass shaped dispensing opening in a wall thereof. The dispenser disclosed in Smith is somewhat nonanalogous to the instant invention in that it is designed for the dispensing of substantially dry sheets without any concern for causing successive sheets to move partially through the opening upon the withdrawal of an immediately preceding sheet. In other words the dispenser disclosed in Smith is not concerned with the "pop-up" dispensing of any sheets from a package.
In summary, bulk packages providing for the pop-up dispensing of substantially wet sheets have either included a relatively large dispensing opening, as disclosed in the Fitzpatrick et al patent, or an extremely narrow slit-type opening, as embodied in the Wet-Ones packaging system sold by Sterling Drug. A relatively large dispensing opening permits the easy retrieval of sheets which fail to pop-up upon the witdrawal of a preceding sheet. However, such a large opening can cause excessive evaporation of the moisturizing ingredients within the sheet in the event that a closure to be sealed about the opening is either left opened, or is improperly sealed. A narrow slit-type opening provided by tabs having sharp corners and bends tends to prevent this excessive evaporation of the moisturizing ingredients from taking place. However, in the event that the dispensing of a sheet fails to pull the leading end of the next succeeding sheet through the opening, said leading end cannot be easily retrieved by inserting the fingers through the opening of the package.